Rescuing Innocence
by Mysterious Prophetess
Summary: Semi-AU. Prompto backstory. Spoilers for Chapter 13. All it took for her to risk it all was a pair of eyes staring up at her: her eyes in the face of a blond child.


No one said that infiltrating an evil empire would be easy. Allegra Argentum fought back bile on a daily basis. The things done to the Magitek Troopers in the name of the Empire….She shuddered and resumed her work on keeping the genetic templates "pure." Her job was to prevent large scale clone degradation before the specimens were mature enough for mutations. If she let herself think of them as anything other than "specimens" she might do something rash.

"Dr. Argentum, how are the latest batches progressing." It was Dr. Vestael Besithia. Her boss and one of the most vile monsters she'd ever met.

"Batches 30-A and 30-B are taking to accelerated growth without any noticeable defects thus far. Batches 23-A, 24-B, 28-J are safely implanted in their gestational carriers, and we lost Batches 31 A-J. The defect that caused it is still being reviewed," Allegra said checking down her progress report.

"Any other things to report?"

"The PRO-MT-0 units are ready for their yearly review," Allegra said.

* * *

Allegra steeled herself as she led Verstael to the arena where the younger chi—units were housed and trained. Like all MT's without their concealing armor, these children were blonds, all male. Proper genome selection ensured the troops were 100% male to limit variables with their products. It appears the food rations had been delivered and the ch-units were fighting over the food as per protocol. The smallest one in the corner made Allegra's heart twist but she kept her impassive mask in place. she signaled the handler who shouted at the units.

"Line-up! Inspection time!" The blonds stood in a nearly identical row, but this was the PRO-MT-0 series. They were prototype units experimenting with a second DNA donor as oppose to the average MT clone units. Allegra refocused on what Verstael was saying.

"…Decommission PRO-MT-001025." Her world went gray for a few moments as she barely kept her charade up.

* * *

Five years ago

Like the others assigned to growing the troops with Verstael, Allegra was not stranger to being dragged into experiments with the man. Ordinarily, it was simply extracting her blood to act as a control. This, however was a step much further.

"You want my ovums?" Allegra said.

"For the PRO-MT-0 series to be a success, I need donors of superior intellect. Who better than my right hand?"

* * *

Allegra stared at the file for PRO-MT-001025. The early bird. His gestational carrier had gone into premature labor. He survived with minimal complications, and aside from the average MT mutations, he was a normal, healthy baby. He was also the only child created with her DNA that had survived the gestational process. Showed creativity but not the raw violence of every other of the PRO-MT-0 series and now he was being destroyed.

Her own biological child. Allegra cursed herself for getting attached but it was so hard to not feel some sort of attachment to a child that looked up at you with your own eyes. A child that had just been discarded by…..This was an opportunity.

This was her chance to give him a better life!

It was time to call in some favors.

* * *

Allegra carried a large bag with her to the facilities and used her code to access the cells. The little boy was huddled miserably in the corner, his stomach growling.

"Do as I say and you will survive," she said softly. The hopeful blue eyes stared up at her, her eyes, and even a smattering of the freckles she hated on her own face so much had appeared to have been passed to him.

"Climb in this bag and hold absolutely still. No matter what I say, you must not move." The little boy nodded and crawled in carefully. She pulled out a vial of blood and spilled it on the ground before she pulled out a pistol and shot it into the cell floor splattering the blood a little. She exited to see the handler staring at her.

"PRO-MT-001025 has been decommissioned. I will dispose of the remains to prevent further contamination," Allegra said.

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

"Going on vacation, Dr. Argentum!"

"It's my yearly pilgrimage to Altissia," Allegra said to the door guard. Zagantus Keep was filled to the brim with security protocols. Most were automated by this last hurdle was a man.

"Can you pick me up a bottle of that Red you always bring back?"

"Of course."

"Where are you going with that?"

"Disposal Site Zeta. I cannot risk further genetic contamination," Allegra said.

"I could take care of that for you."

"No! I mean, if I don't follow proper protocol, it's on both our heads," Allegra gestured towards the top of the keep.

"Right, and if I get another demerit, I'm going to end up cleaning the sewage systems."

"Precisely, Janus. There are also samples I need to take for analysis," Allegra said.

"You're in the clear. Don't have too much fun in Altissia!"

* * *

The train ride was even more nerve-wracking after she'd transferred the child from the containment bag to a large crate full of linens she'd ordered for this very reason. She smuggled him a few apples and a bag of beef-jerky to tide him over during the trip. She did make her actual stop off at Disposal Site Zeta with her now empty bag to keep up appearances and patted the corrupted vial of her own blood to cover all her bases. She made a quick call to her handler.

"This is Quick Silver with the package almost to the extraction site. It will be in a large crate of Linens. All the information you will need is in that package."

* * *

The train stopped at Cartanica Station, where Allegra unloaded the crate and checked up on the child. He had a frantic look in his eyes. Oh. Bathroom. She stood guard and made sure to help him clean up afterwards.

"Listen to me. You are not a mistake. You are a miracle."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you deserve a chance to live as a boy, not a machine," Allegra said, "And boys get to have names." She pulled out a packet of documents she'd prepared on the train ride and pressed them into his arms.

"From now on, you're Prompto Argentum," Allegra said hugging him tightly. "You need to hide in this crate. A friend is going to get you somewhere you can be free." The newly christened Prompto stared at her for only a moment before he crawled inside the crate which she nailed back shut.

* * *

Allegra stood by the window of her room at the Altissian Leville.

"Just how long did you expect to get away with that little stunt, Allegra?"

"Long enough to see the sun rise, one last time." she turned around to see it was the High Chancellor, the man who was the genesis of all vile MT experiments: Ardyn Izunia.

"You act like I would harm you," Ardyn's hurt tone and face were almost believable…but Allegra hadn't been born yesterday.

"How long have you known I was a Lucian spy?" she asked staring him in the eyes.

"Oh, from the start. You see, it doesn't matter if Lucis knows what we make MT's out of, you were never able to get access to the technical read outs and they have too many morals to even think to stoop to our level," Ardyn placed a finger under her chin. "But you did steal from the empire and I cannot protect you from the Emperor's wrath." Allegra pushed his hand away.

"I'm touched you even thought to try," Allegra said.

"Your work is the best, it's merely protecting an asset," Ardyn said waving a hand through the air before he summoned a dagger with a flash of red light.

"What are you?" Allegra said reaching for her gun. He disappeared in a flash of red light and reappeared with his dagger in her heart.

"More merciful than you deserve," Ardyn said withdrawing the blade. It was a bit unorthodox, but her little renegade MT might come in handy one day, and it really saved him the time of trying to figure out a contingency. He'd pay the hotel for the mess and be on his way. The Puppet needed to be reassured of his control.

* * *

"There's a kid in here!" Prompto blinked up at the light. It was strangely shiny.

"It's a refugee!"

"From Gralea?"

"Get him to the Immigration office. They'll sort it out from there. Welcome to Insomnia, kid."

"Prompto. My name is Prompto!"

* * *

 **MP** :This is my own backstory for Prompto, and how he got to Insomnia.

A backstory I referenced in _Through the Eyes of a Child._  
Allegra Argentum is my own OC.

I've written something along these lines before in a discarded fic, but I went into more from Allegra's POV with this one shot.  
Also, none of the other PRO-MT-0 series makes it past age six.


End file.
